Healthy Productive Women Workers Movement

The Gerakan Pekerja Perempuan Sehat Produktif or Healthy, Productive Women Workers Movement (GP2SP) aims to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is expected to increase the participation of governments and companies as well as explore the potential that exists in the community in addressing the health and nutrition needs of female workers.

According to data by IDHS 2007 and SUSENAS 2007, there has been a significant improvement in many health indicators for women such as life expectancy, maternal mortality, reduction in infant mortality, under-five mortality and decreased prevalence of malnutrition in children under five. But the problem of Protein Energy Deficiency (KEP), Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED) and iron nutritional anaemia is very high. The issues of women workers are very important and need attention as poor nutrition can lead to poor physical and intellectual health, decreased productivity and will have an impact on the quality of human resources as well as national development.

The role of women is very important for the future of the next generation. As women pass through different stages in life such as menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding their health must be taken care of. As per reports of the Household Health Survey 2001, anaemia is present in 26.4 percent of the population of childbearing age. Other studies indicate that anaemia in female workers is between 24-42 percent. Women who suffer from anaemia have on an average 5 percent lower output and 6.5 hours less working capacity per week. Lack of education amongst female workers is also very high with only around 50.37 percent females having attended elementary school, which also adversely affects their knowledge about health and nutrition.

GP2SP is a revitalization of the “Gerekan Pekerja Perempuan Sehat Produktif” program of 1997, and has been agreed upon by relevant stakeholders such as Ministry of Health, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration, the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Indonesian Child Protection, Council Association of Indonesian National Committee and the Central Executive Council of All Indonesian Workers Union Confederation. This program must be implemented in factories in order to improve the health and quality of life of female workers.